Man shot to death by Hazleton police after struggle

JAMIE PESOTINE/Staff Photographer
Police gather near the scene of a shooting early Saturday near Alter and First streets in Hazleton.

A Hazleton police officer shot and killed a city man after he allegedly attempted to raise a handgun on officers early Saturday morning, according to state police at Hazleton, who are handling the investigation on the request of city police.

State police identified the victim as Jonathan Kane Garay, 26, of 521 Alter St.

According to state police, Hazleton officers were dispatched to a large fight at Second and Alter streets around 2:30 a.m. A bystander told police that a man carrying a handgun had left the scene and was running toward First and Alter streets, police said.

According to the police report, an officer saw a man run through a gate at the rear of 521 Alter St., and upon speaking to him, identified him as Garay. The officer noticed that Garay had a silver and black handgun in his waistband, police said. When the officer grabbed Garay, a struggle ensued and the weapon fell to the floor of the rear porch at 521 Alter St., police said.

When a second officer arrived, police said Garay dove for the weapon, grabbed it from the floor and "attempted to raise the weapon towards the officers."

At that point, an officer fired his weapon at Garay, police said.

Garay was taken to Hazleton General Hospital where police said he died from gunshot wounds sustained during the incident.

State police are not releasing the names of the officers involved at this time.

The Troop N Major Case Team was activated and has assumed the investigation on the request of city police. The Luzerne County District Attorney's Office and the Luzerne County Coroner's Office also are investigating the incident, police said.

Just before 9 a.m., individuals attempted to console a woman who sobbed from a porch at 521-523 Alter St.

Portions of Alter and First streets were closed and bordered by yellow caution tape until officers left around 11:50 a.m. More than a dozen police vehicles were at the scene.

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